IMG targets inflight market with HSBC Golfing World

Sports, entertainment and media major IMG has launched a golf television programming concept customised specifically for the inflight market.

IMG Media says HSBC Golfing World will take the best and most-compelling material from the existing Golfing World (an hour-long golf magazine show that mixes news, interviews, lifestyle features and tournament updates and is currently aired in more than 30 countries, five days per week) and make it available in a monthly version to airline passengers.

The dedicated 30 minute monthly version of HSBC Golfing World will air on British Airways, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines among others from August 2010.

“HSBC has a wide portfolio of golf sponsorships because we value the strong ethics of the sport and the challenges it presents to anyone who plays the sport, regardless of their level," says the banking group’s head of sponsorship, Giles Morgan. "We see HSBC Golfing World as an ideal opportunity to share those values, and, where relevant, to showcase our commitment to the sport with air travellers and hopefully to help their journey seem that little bit shorter.”

“The global success story of HSBC and golf continues to add new chapters year on year." adds IMG Media senior vice president Richard Wise. "This exciting addition to IMG’s Inflight portfolio will showcase the many faces of golf and a number of golf related initiatives supported by HSBC around the world.”

IMG Media claims to sell more Inflight sports programming than any other distributor, supplying over 600 hrs of programming each year to more than 50 airlines and with the recent acquisition of Tiger Aspect and DSP IMG Media has established an Entertainment catalogue to rival their sports content.